Duration : 15 Nights/ 16
Days
Places Covered : Delhi - Mandawa - Bikaner
- Pokaran - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Luni - Pushkar -
Ajmer - Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra - Gwalior -
Orchcha - Khajuraho - Sarnath - Varanasi
Day 01 -- »
Arrive Delhi
Meet and assist by our representative upon your arrival
at the airport. Then drive to your hotel with your
driver and car. Night in hotel.
Day 02 -- »
New Delhi
Morning after breakfast city tour of this imperial
British capital of the 20th century. Visit the Qutub
Minar - the tallest free standing minaret in stone
in the world; then onto Humayun's tomb - the first
Mughal construction in India from 1565 AD. Also see
the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the India Gate built in the
earlier half of the 20th century. Drive through the
old city past the Red Fort and visit the Jama Masjid
- the biggest of its kind in India. Here take a rickshaw
through the winding streets of the old city to see
the life of the people in this part of the world.
A perfect introduction of your tour. The rickshaw
puller pulls you through the imperial avenue the Chandni
Chowk where you will find each and every small business
under the sky. Finally, reach Rajghat, the memorial
of Mahatma Gandhi, where your chauffeur is waiting
for you to take you to your next stop the Birla Mandir,
a Hindu temple in activity.
Day 03 -- »
Delhi - Mandawa
After breakfast leave Delhi for Mandawa enroute visiting
Mahensar. Upon arrival in Mandawa check into your
hotel.
Day 04 -- »
Mandawa - Bikaner 180km
In the morning see this beautiful village of Shekhawati
that used to be an important caravanserai of the yesteryears.
See the many havelis of this quaint little town built
by the rich and the famous merchants of the 18th and
19th centuries. These havelis have been painted with
activities of daily life and of deities to break the
monotony of the desert life.
Then proceed towards Bikaner en route stop at Fatehpur
to see the splendid havelis of the local merchants
of Shekhawati. Reach Bikaner by lunch time.
See the Junagarh Fort, a royal museum that encompasses
history of Bikaner from its days of construction that
dates back to the 16th century. Later visit the camel
breeding farm, a unique experience. Evening time free
to stroll in the busy market area of Bikaner city
centre.
Day 05 -- »
Bikaner - Pokaran - Jaisalmer 330km
After breakfast we set towards our journey across
the Thar Desert to reach Pokaran for lunch. Visit
the 15th century fortress where the 3rd Mughal emperor,
Akbar the Great, was born in 1543. The bazaar in the
middle of this village is very colourful and full
of local flavours. After lunch continue towards Jaisalmer
and arrive by evening to witness the sunset over the
desert with the most imposing edifice of the town
behind you.
Day 06 -- »
Jaisalmer
Morning an exclusive visit of the Jain temples inside
the Sonar Kila.. The Jains are a community that respects
life and are pure vegetarians by religion. Visit the
citadel's palace that houses a museum with a huge
collection of robes and artifacts from the royal family
of Jaisalmer. Visit the Patwaon ki haveli with intricately
designed latticed windows used by the ladies to view
the external world. Also see the Gadisar Lake.
Later, we go to Sam or Khuri village. Here we have
loads of excitement in store for you. Upon arrival
in the village you will be taken to the nearby sunset
point on the dunes to see the sunset by camel carts.
After sunset return to the village where your stay
is arranged in mud huts. Evening listen to the haunted
tunes of the desert by the local artists and musicians.
A lifetime experience. Dinner and night in the
desert
mud huts.
Day 07 -- »
Jaisalmer - Jodhpur 280km
Today we reach Jodhpur the blue city by early afternoon.
Post lunch session introduces you to the fabulous
spice market of Jodhpur the 2nd largest city in Rajasthan.
Walk along the market to feel the odours of the spices
filling the air around you Then go to Mandore gardens
the then capital of Marwar to view some of the fabulous
cenotaphs and the hall of local heroes of the wars.
Drive back to Jodhpur and see the Umaid Bhawan Palace,
the present residence of the king of Jodhpur. Retire
to your hotel and relax.
Day 08 -- »
Jodhpur - Luni 40km
After breakfast drive up to the majestic Mehrangarh
fort, the stronghold of the Rathore princes from 1453AD.
We see the superb collection of paintings and arms
and ammunitions. The view of the city from the rampart
walls is breath taking.
Later an hours drive brings us to the world of animals
- Luni, the palace amidst the more rustic life of
Rajasthan.
After lunch we take you on a safari to discover the
hidden beauty of the jungle life. Here you would be
visiting the Bishnoi villages. Bishnois are a tribe
that respects life in every form - animals trees and
even dead branches. They are vegetarians and even
in the villages they protect the animal life and don't
let anybody practice hunting in the vicinity of their
villages. They live in a joint family system where
the oldest member is generally the head of the family.
Then we would like you to witness the opium ceremony
with the Patels - a rich tribe. It is a ceremony prevelant
in this part of Rajasthan where the youth offers opium
to drink mixed with water to the elders of the family
when they come back from work in the fields.
Day 09 -- »
Luni - Pushkar - Ajmer - Jaipur 320km
Today cross the entire stretch of desert to reach
the most holy cities of Pushkar and Ajmer.
Pushkar happens to be the holiest places according
to the Hindus as it is considered that Lord Brahma
(the Creator) and his wife Saraswati (the godess of
learning and music) performed a ritual in the lake.
Here we visit the only Brahma temple of the world
before intermingling with the local colours in the
local bazaar. Pushkar is the world famous for its
cattle fair held each year in the month of October/November.
Proceed towards Ajmer.
Ajmer is the pious city for the Muslims. Surprisingly
both the cities are at distance of 11km from each
other. Visit the Durgah built in fond remembrance
of Khwaja Muin ud Din Chisti where the Muslim pilgrims
from all over India throng during the festival times.
Later visit Mughal emperor Akbar's Palace where his
son Jehangir received Sir Thomas Roe to grant him
the permission of trade to East India Company with
India, that changed the history of India completely
and slowly and steadily India became colony of the
British Empire. Continue towards Jaipur and reach
by late evening and check into the hotel.
Day 10 -- »
Jaipur
Visit the Amber fort in the morning; included is an
elephant ride at the Amber fort. See the marvelous
Shish mahal built in the 17th century in a fusion
style of Hindu and Islamic art. Also see the hall
of public audiences and Maharaja Man Singh's Palace
who had twelve queens.
After lunch set off to see the Pink city visiting
the observatory Jantar Mantar built in 1727 by Sawai
Maharaja Jai Singh II who was a mathematician , an
astronomer an astrologer and a great musician of his
era. He built five observatories throughout India
- Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura and Delhi but
only the one at Jaipur is functional. Then visit the
City Palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur with a fabulous
collection of robes and saris in cotton and silk with
gold lattice work. The City Palace houses a collection
of paintings also in the painting gallery and of course
a collection of arms and ammunitions in the ammunition
gallery. Dinner at your hotel.
Day 11 -- »
Jaipur - Fatehpur Sikri - Agra 250km
Leave the Pink city after breakfast and reach Fatehpur
Sikri by early afternoon. Visit this abandoned city
built by the Mughal emperor Akbar in the second half
of the 16th century. Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar
after his Hindu wife bore him the long awaited son
who was born after the renowned sufi saint Salim Chisti
blessed Jodhabai Akbar's hindu wifewith a son. Also
visit Jodhabai's palace the biggest palace in Fatehpur
Sikri even bigger than the emperor's palace himself
as this was the queen who bore him his heir to the
throne. Continue towards Agra and reach Agra by early
evening. Relax at your hotel or go to the local bazaar
to see the lifestyle of the people.
Day 12 -- »
Agra
Taj Mahal is awaiting your arrival today morning.
A must see with the rising sun as the Taj Mahal is
bathed in the golden rays of the morning sun. Built
by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial
that houses the tomb of his beautiful wife Mumtaz
Mahal. This monument took 22 years to be completed
and was designed, and planned by Persian architect
Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design, balance
and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly
for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens
and some of the best inlay work ever seen anywhere
in the world.
Then see the
Agra Fort built by Akbar where
Shahjahan was imprisoned by his own son Aurangzeb.
Post lunch visit
Itmad ud Daulah - it is the
first mughal building built out completely of marble.
In many contexts it is referred to being the predecessor
of the
Taj Mahal. Then visit
Sikandara
the tomb of the great emperor Akbar.
Day 13 -- »
Agra - Gwalior - Orchha 219km
Today we drive to go to Gwalior the erstwhile stronghold
of the Scindia rulers. Reach Gwalior by early afternoon
and after lunch start your visit.
A trip to Gwalior is incomplete without a visit to
the fort, Scindia Palace and the tombs of Ghaus Mohammed
and Tansen. Also visit the Gurjari Mahal the palace
of the Gurjar queen Mrignayani today housing an archaeological
museum. Also see the teli ka mandir and the Saas bahu
ka mandir inside the fort. Later continue towards
Orchha.
Day 14 -- »
Orchcha - Khajuraho 282 km
Orchha is a medieval village where time has stopped.
You feel the timelessness of this spot. Orchha is
a medieval city founded by Bundela rulers with palaces
and temples of the 16th and 17th century - which have
remarkably withstood the onslaught of time. The river
Betwa picturesquely flanks the city.
See the beautiful Palace Complex - Jahangiri Mahal
and the Raja Mahal. Closely study the intricacies
of the mural paintings in the Raja Mahal and visit
the Laxminarayana Temple. Post lunch continue towards
Khajuraho about 182 km away by road and check in to
your hotel. After a brief refreshing time you will
be taken to the near by auditorium to witness the
cultural heritage of India through the medium of dances.
Day 15 -- »
Khajuraho - Varanasi By flight
Morning sight seeing shows us the temples built during
the 9th to the 11th centuries by the powerful dynasty
of Chandela rajputs. The temples with their erotic
sculptures are a feast to the eyes. The Chandelas
built 85 temples in all but today only 20 temples
stand intact. Visit the eastern and western group
of temples before being transferred to the airport
to catch your flight to Varanasi. (1525hrs) Upon arrival
(1605hrs) in Varanasi transfer to the hotel. Rest
of the day free.
Day 16 -- »
Varanasi - Delhi By flight
Early in the morning (0500hrs) we take you to banks
of the river Ganges where we board a boat to see the
morning ablutions of the Hindus from the security
of our boat. The boat ride starts from Dasashwamedh
Ghat and ends at Manikarnika Ghat along the sacred
Ganges. See the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanvyapi
kund and the mosque attached to it. Also visit the
Benares Hindu University the largest residential university
in India with more than 3000 residential students.
Return to your hotel for breakfast. Later visit Sarnath
the sacred city for the Buddhist all over the world.
It was here that Lord Buddha preached his first sermon
to his first five disciples. Also worth visiting is
the museum with artifacts dating back to 3rd century
BC. Visit the nearby ruins of the ancient seat of
learning in Sarnath In time transfer to the airport
to return back to Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi you
will be taken out for a farewell dinner and then transferred
to the international terminal for your flight back
home.
